Entry XIV: Old Friends and New Allies
Location: Governor’s Island Munitions Depot
Date: Wednesday, December 24th, 2003
With our mission to destroy the ventilation system complete, we knew that any survivors from Chris’s or Phil’s teams would head to either the munitions depot or the main artillery. Since we assumed the others had lost their C4 in the crash as well, we headed to the munitions depot first. We met little resistance, a few SAF soldiers here and there, but nothing we couldn’t handle. It seemed that while we had been scattered, so had the Reds. We heard sporadic gunfire erupt from various parts of the island. Some battles seemed so close that if we turned the right corner, we’d find our allies. Other battles sounded like they were on the far side of the island, which made little sense since we all crashed on the same side of the island. No matter, we didn’t run into any of our comrades until we reached the munitions depot.
It was there that we found Chris, Steven, Chelly, and Ryo. We greeted our friends with warm smiles and handshakes but then got down to business. Chris hadn’t seen Daniil, Logan, or any other resistance member since they had reached land. Chris thought about heading straight to the ventilation system as planned but without any C4, they had no way to destroy it, that’s why they went straight towards the munitions depot. I told Chris that was why we were here, we had lost or supply also. He said he had heard the explosion and asked if that was us. I nodded and told him that the system was indeed destroyed and we could now move into the interior of the island. Chris gave us all a perplexed smile and asked how we managed to destroy it without any explosives. Phil answered with a single word, “creatively.”
Date: Wednesday, December 24th, 2003
We all grabbed as much C4 and ammo as we could carry and headed towards the main artillery. Chris hoped that if we eliminated the massive guns, that we might get reinforcements via boat. But with those guns still operational, there was no way anyone else would make it onto the island. We met pockets of resistance along the way but again, it was nothing we couldn’t handle. As we approached the hill where the mortar guns were stationed, we could hear them firing towards the docks. There shouldn’t be any of our people on that side of the island so what were they shooting at? We didn’t have time to find out as a Soviet helicopter flew overhead and landed nearby.
Chris charged towards the helipad and we followed close behind. We reached the road that led to the landing pad only to be faced with a mounted machine gun. It fired in zigzag lines, forcing us to break formation and find something to hide behind. I jumped to my right while everyone else found cover on the left side of the road. It was a stupid move but I had separated myself from everyone. Then a large squad of Red soldiers descended on us. Chris called for me to make a break for it but I yelled that I’d meet up with him farther down the road. I then turned in the opposite direction and sprinted away.
I was running towards the mortar guns now and trying to figure out how to work my way back to Chris when I went headfirst down an embankment. I rolled head over feet and landed hard on concrete. I tried to shake the jolt from my head and collect myself. Another stupid move, there were two mortar guns and I had just fallen into the operating center for the second gun. As I pushed myself up on my hands and knees I saw a pair of boots approach me. Damn, I was caught with no options. I thought about trying to blow the C4 I was wearing when I heard a woman start laughing. My head jerked up to see Charlie Raider standing over me. She offered a hand and pulled me to my feet. My mouth must have been wide open because she gave me a big hug and asked me if I really thought the Red invasion of our Manhattan Rebel Base would have killed her.
I tried to ask her what had happened to her but my tongue seemed to be paralyzed with shock. She understood none the less and told me that she had met up with some civilians after her escape from the base. She had organized them, trained them, and then led the fight against pockets of SAF soldiers in the city. Then, when she saw Chris’ broadcast and the fireworks on the island, she knew that this was the last battle and that she couldn’t miss it for the world. They had commandeered a few boats and had landed near the docks but were being decimated by the mortar fire. That explains why they had been firing earlier; it was Charlie’s team that they were aiming for. She told me that they were trying to figure out how to blow them up when I came crashing down.
I let out an embarrassed laugh and told her I wasn’t the greatest soldier but I did have a solution for her. I handed her my belt of C4 and told her that Chris, Phil, and the rest of the team was headed towards the helipad nearby. She took half of the bricks and then handed the belt back to me. She had a favor to ask; while she and her team took out the mortar guns, Charlie wanted me to take a couple of people and help out her remaining team members at the docks. I couldn’t refuse to help out an old friend and told her I would be glad to assist her in anyway I could. She called up two of her team members and introduced us. Ken Traynor was a teenager who had lost both of his parents in initial invasion. Charlie ensured me that Ken was reliable and levelheaded in combat. Shinji Cortez was less so, a rough and tumble fighter, he was skilled and trustworthy but tended to rush into battles.
Location: Governor’s Island Docks
Date: Wednesday, December 24th, 2003
With my new squad mates in tow, I lead our tiny team on a rescue mission. As we steered our way down the mortar hill and towards the docks, I heard a loud explosion in the distance; too far away to be the mortar guns. Ken looked concerned but I reassured him that it was probably Chris blowing up the helipad. Shinji told me that there was another pad near the docks as well and that we should try to destroy it. I threw him the C4 belt and told him that I was assigning the task to him. He gave me a wide grin as he buckled the belt around his waist. I asked Ken if he knew how many of Charlie’s team were still down in the docks. Ken said there was at least a dozen and to expect a lot of SAF resistance since they had a command post in the area.
When we entered the docks we were met with a mazelike structure of shipping containers. Some of the containers were empty and open on both sides, others were filled with crates. We could hear the popping of alternating bullets down by the water and Shinji commented that their comrades were probably using the boats for cover. We hurried towards the water to provide assistance and found ourselves facing the back of six SAF soldiers. We coordinated our attack and eliminated the threat. The other Freedom Fighters were grateful for the assist and went ahead to join Charlie. By this time, an explosion and then another much closer, blasted above us. It was obvious that Charlie and her team had destroyed the mortar guns and would be moving on to the second location.
There was only one thing left for us to do before we rejoined Charlie as well, blow up the helipad. We cautiously approached the parked chopper but no one was in sight. Then before I realized what was happening, Ken cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Shinji also screamed as I saw blood burst from his leg. He crumbled down to his knees and I dove for cover. I scanned the shipping containers above me and saw the glint of a sniper rifle. I opened fire and realized that I had hit my target when a soldier fell to the ground, dead. I ran to Ken’s side but it was too late for him, the sniper had shot him clean through the chest. I was about to sprint towards Shinji when I heard him yelling for me to run. Five Reds were surrounding him as he crawled towards the helicopter. Our eyes met for a split second and he smiled at me, then he raised his arm and pressed the C4 detonator.
